In the field of cookie or cracker handling, it is known to assemble a plurality of substantially flat cookies or crackers, and to manipulate such food materials until they are stacked on one edge with a substantial part of their planar surfaces in contact. Such configurations are typically referred to as being "shingle stacked".
After such stacking, it is often preferable to subdivide the cookies or crackers into spaced-apart groups commonly referred to as "slugs". These slugs may then be subsequently packaged, individually or in sets, for subsequent delivery to consumers. It may be appreciated that it is highly desirable for the slugs to be uniform in volume and/or weight, in order that packaging regulations may be met without overpacking the slug containers.
Prior art methods and apparatuses are known for providing slugs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,392 to Greene, entitled "Potato Chips Processing Machine", discloses a process of inserting juxtaposed separator blades into a line of potato chips as the blades move along with the line of potato chips. After the juxtaposed blades are inserted into the line of chips, the blades are separated. However, a relatively complex configuration is utilized in order to adjust the relative positioning of the blades.
It is also known to provide chain loops which may, due to their configuration, be manipulated to run at slower or faster rates along their respective paths. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,142,003 to Morgelin, entitled "Conveyor Chain", discloses a conveyor chain which runs at two different speeds, due to an eccentric configuration which allows the chain links to intermittently shortened and lengthened. U.S. Pat. No. 3,462,002 to Zuppiger, entitled "Varying-Pitch Chain-Like Arrangement to Drive Loads at Variable Speed", discloses configurations utilizing various pulleys, shackles, and links cooperating with a "guide means 15", with the guide means having progressively varying thicknesses, being thin in the region of link "A", and thicker in the region the region of link "D", in reference to FIG. 1. Depending on the thickness of the guide means, the chain-like assembly passes along the track at different speeds.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,516,363 to Van Der Wal, entitled "Conveyor System with Portions Operable at Different Speeds", discloses a conveyor system having portions operable at different speeds, by virtue of the positioning of interconnecting linkages. Rollers 34 bias against members 36, 37, such that linkages in the conveyor system are provided at an incline. U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,606 to Bogatzki, entitled "Apparatus for Spacing Articles Moving in a Line", discloses the use of two tracks each guiding rollers rotatably mounted approximate the ends of interconnecting linkage members, with the tracks being adjustable relative to each other.
Canadian Patent No. 1,061,273 to Yamato, entitled "Device for Transporting Materials" discloses manipulation of a chain supporting a plurality of buckets such that the chain is in a serpentine configuration along a portion of its path. U.K. Patent No. 736,827 to Carvell entitled "Improvements in or Relating to Conveyor or Transmission Systems" discloses a chain which may be altered to a "zig-zag" configuration with the assistance of rollers such as 126 shown in FIG. 8.
Although the above disclosures do contemplate advantageous apparatuses in their own right, a need nevertheless still exists for a simple, efficient, effective means for adjusting the spaced-apart positions of pins along the length of a chain. A need also exists for a method and apparatus for uniformly separating slugs of cookies or crackers from a continuous series of edge-stacked series of the same. Finally, a need exists for subdividing a series of an edge-stacked series of cookies or crackers with minimal damage to the same.